Cheese Boureg

My Sister makes the best Cheese Boureg!

Filling:
1-½ lbs shredded Jack Cheese & Feta Cheese
¾ C chopped broccoli
2 eggs beaten well (put aside 2-3 tbs)
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp white pepper
¼ lb (or more as needed) melted butter
Mix together the above ingredients for the filling.
5-6 sheets phyllo dough (plus 3-4 for the top)
Butter a rectangular or square pan and put down a sheet of dough. Brush with a little butter. (Make sure the rest of the dough is covered with a damp cloth so it does not dry out.) Add another layer of dough, brush with butter and then add a layer of filling. Repeat this process until all filling is used. Cover with 3-4 sheets of dough-buttering each layer. Brush the top with an egg wash, using the reserved eggs. Bake in a preheated 450-degree oven for 20 minutes then lower the oven to 350 and bake additional 20 minutes. The cooking time can vary according to oven, by 5-10 minutes. Basically the boureg is ready when it’s a golden brown. Score the boureg with a sharp knife before baking. Let cool for 5 minutes before re-cutting. Serve warm or cooled to room temp.
Variation: Cut dough into 4” strips. Butter the strip then put a spoonful of dough at one end; fold over and over to form a triangle. Place seam side down and egg wash the top.

Jajek (Yogurt & Cucumber salad)

When I worked as Deli manager at Fedco, my manager came in one day and saw me eating this salad. He tasted it and thought it was great-especially on a warm day. The following week we had a new salad in the case "Martin's Cucumber Dill Salad".......


2 c plain Yogurt
1 tbs dill weed (fresh is better but dried will work)
1/2 tsp crushed mint leaves
1 clove finely chopped garlic
pinch of salt
1/4 c water (more or less to thin the yogurt to desired consistency)
1 large cucmber (or 2 smaller)-peeled and sliced thin*

Mix the first 5 ingredients then add the cucumber. Serve chilled.

* If you are not serving the salad right away-seed the cucumbers so the salad does not get watery.

Dolma

this is one of my all time favorite comfort foods. It takes a little time to prepare but it it worth the effort.


2 lbs ground lamb
3/4 C Blue Rose rice
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
2 medium onions, chopped
1/2 C chopped parsley
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 T crushed dried mint
1 small head of cabbage
1-1/2 C water or beef broth or mixed

NOTE: You can also use assorted hollowed-out vegetables: zucchini, green peppers, tomatoes or Japanese eggplant instead of the cabbage-or a combination.

Core the cabbage and blanch in boiling water a few minutes (until the leaves soften). Peel the leaves and layer the tougher, outer leaves in the bottom of a Dutch oven.

Combine lamb, rice, tomato sauce and paste, onions, parsley, salt, pepper and mint in large bowl. Mix well. Put a tablespoon in the center of a leaf and roll in the sides first, then roll the ends. Place seam side down on top of the layered leaves. Repeat until you have rolled up all of the meat mixture. Make sure the rolls are tightly packed.

Pour in water. Place heavy plate on top. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 40 minutes.

Serve warm with a dollop of yogurt (mixed with a little garlic to taste) on top.

ARMENIAN RICE PILAF –Basic recipe

Rice Pilaf is a staple of Armenian cooking. It can be fancied up with dried fruits and nuts (for weddings and celebrations) baked in pumpkins (for Thanksgiving) or just basic as in the recipe below.
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup quality long grain rice
½ cup vermicelli crumbled into 1 inch long pieces*
½ cube butter
2 cups chicken broth-heated just to boiling
1 teaspoon salt (only if the broth is salt free)
½ teaspoon pepper
PREPARATION: Sauté vermicelli in butter in a heavy pan, until the vermicelli is golden brown. Add rice and stir until well coated, then add chicken broth and mix well. Bring to a boil, cover tightly and then lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Turn heat off and let sit a few minute. Do not lift the lid and let the steam escape. After 10 minutes stir rice gently to fluff. Serve hot.
* I usually break up a package of vermicelli and lay out on a cookie sheet, then brown in a 250 -300 degree oven. Once it cools I either keep it in a glass jar or tightly closed in a ziplock baggie so I have it ready and on hand when I need it. For a variation you can also use egg noodles.

My Mother used to make the best breakfasts (still does-I just don't live there anymore)
She would slice tomatoes and saute in butter then add green beans and then eggs. This was my favorite. She also made "cookie" eggs where she would punch out the center of a slice of bread with a shot glass, then toast the bread in the pan and then crack an egg in the center. The "cookie" part came when she would toast the center cutout in a little butter-until crispy. This was mine and my brother's favorite breakfasts.
I realize now it was a way to stretch eggs and save a few pennies but I don't care. Whenever I need some comfort food I make cookie eggs or tomato eggs. Stephanie loves breakfast like this too. I guess this is how traditions are started.